Kansas City Freelance Writer Liz Craig

Sent to me by a friend:

You may enjoy this one; what a rare find. Notice that there may be some question whether there were rules of the road. Notice the guys pushing a car to get it started. Also all the guys in suits and ladies in dresses.

This film was “lost” for many years. It was the first 35mm film ever. It was taken by a camera mounted on the front of a San Francisco cable car.

The number of automobiles is staggering for 1906. The clock tower at the end of Market Street at the Embarcadero wharf is still there. (I’m also wondering … how many “street cleaning” people were employed to pick up after the horses? Talk about going green!)

Great historical film worth watching. It is long, but very interesting if you watch everything closely.

This film, originally thought to be from 1905 until David Kiehn with the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum figured out exactly when it was shot. From New York trade papers announcing the film showing to the wet streets from recent heavy rainfall & shadows indicating time of year & actual weather and conditions on historical record, even when the cars were registered (he even knows who owned them and when the plates were issued!).. It was filmed only four days before the quake and shipped by train to NY for processing.

I wonder if this street was leveled in the quake…